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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think any parent would do the same? Or am I bonkers

803 replies

Doritosandsourcream · 11/10/2023 08:02

On holiday in the buffet eating dinner all I could hear was my son crying walking from the bar with his juice in his hand. I thought oh maybe he fell over so DH went over to him. Turns out that this little girl that has been picking on him for the past 2 days her dad has grabbed DS and twisted arm so tight he broke his skin and dug his nails into him. (German family)

DS has been coming to me about her saying she keeps pushing him and sticking her fingers up since they arrived. DS finally got annoyed and pushed her back earlier on in the day and she told her dad. So dad got his own back on DS.

I ran over to DH as he was shouting at the dad and the dad was just smirking and something just came over me and I punched him in the face.

Never in my life have I punched anyone and I didn’t think about the consequences at the time I just kept looking at my son he was in flood of tears.

It was the weirdest feeling I have never felt adrenaline like it.

aibu? How would you have handled it? The hotel did absolutely nothing.

OP posts:
GreenVelvetCushions · 12/10/2023 19:50

Jesus.

User0000009 · 12/10/2023 19:52

Isn’t it interesting how all the more educated posters have left to let the violent lunatics get on with it

MartyFunkhouser · 12/10/2023 19:55

Wow. I certainly wouldn't have punched him. He might be like you and have punched you back. Then what - the two of you brawling on the floor?

Appalling example to all children concerned.

Yourcatisnotsorry · 12/10/2023 20:00

I think you did the right thing to be honest. You didn’t ask for that situation and reacted instinctively to abuse against your own child. I’d be giving you a bloody medal.

DarthTater3 · 12/10/2023 20:03

I hope I’d do the same thing. Good for you.

Sethos · 12/10/2023 20:07

Kitcaterpillar · 11/10/2023 08:48

Love when Mumsnet turns into fight club. Course you'd have all knocked him out, of course you would.

But to the boxers in the group, does it not occur to you that watching your mum lose control and punch a man in the face is likely to be every bit as traumatic as the initial German dad incident. I know in your heads you'd be wreathed in righteous flames and everyone would gaze in awe. But in reality, you'd be a sunburnt woman at a breakfast buffet in a subpar resort swinging a feeble arm at a man carrying a plate of varied breakfast meats...

😆😆😆

MartyFunkhouser · 12/10/2023 20:08

Thugsnet 😁

carly2803 · 12/10/2023 20:08

too fucking right i would have punched him in the face

good fo you OP!! standing up for your child

lettingtheforumdown · 12/10/2023 20:09

User0000009 · 12/10/2023 19:52

Isn’t it interesting how all the more educated posters have left to let the violent lunatics get on with it

Edited

🤣

That's about the size of it.

Though whoever started the thread will be having a laugh (and I know I've made my own contribution to the original trollery post as I've been so astounded by some of the genuine responses suggesting that violence is a good solution - all the more so given that several of these oh-so-very-hard Mama Bear posters are remarkably coy about swearing on MN). "I'd loose (sic) my s**t and hit him to (sic)".

That kind of thing.

I take my hat off to the OP, though, as it takes some doing to garner 700+ responses.

Fairospop22 · 12/10/2023 20:13

@MartyFunkhouser 😂😂 it’s an entertaining change to snobsnet and upyourownarsenet

BooBooDoodle · 12/10/2023 20:15

It would have been my first instinct to smash this guy too and all I can say is well done you. I’m not going to give you a lecture about using violence and all that crap because you feel bad enough and questioning your actions which was neither good or bad. Come for me all you want, but in this day and age, some folk have been spared a good clip or five over the years and this is why they behave the way they do because they’ve never met their match and been taken down a peg when needed and you showed him you wouldn’t tolerate it. You were standing up for yourself and your child against a family of bullies. If a bully hit you at school you’d hit them back. End of.
All that said, I’m a martial artist in my black belt years and a coach and I don’t advocate hurting anyone to my students, we train to fight so we don’t have to. I’m also disciplined enough to know what certain situations warrant in terms of handling and the trouble I could land in should I hit out first so I don’t and do what I’m trained to do and walk away. This has taken over 10 years to learn and override that instinct to hit out. Police involvement would have been the best option but you dealt with it. Don’t ever feel bad for sticking up for your family.

restingbitchface30 · 12/10/2023 20:20

I possibly would have done the same tbh. No one touches my child. It’s very easy to see red in the moment. I hope it hurt him and you’ve got a mean right hook!

LovelyIssues · 12/10/2023 20:22

Go Mumma bear!!!!

DoughBallss · 12/10/2023 20:26

Would like to say I would never use violence however a grown adult had never hurt my children so I cannot say how I’d react in the moment. You are NOT being unreasonable…good on you for protecting your son.

If him and his daughter got physical then it’s a line that had already been crossed.

Isinglass20 · 12/10/2023 20:36

Littlegreen82
So is this right OP? You’ve complained about the poor behaviour of your DS and was it the same DS in this post who pushed the little girl? And OP punched the father?
If so this is a different story and OP should fear the other family reporting her assault to the police and poor behaviour of her DS

thugsnet · 12/10/2023 20:39

<twirly whirly>

Namechangeforreasons · 12/10/2023 20:41

Isinglass20 · 12/10/2023 20:36

Littlegreen82
So is this right OP? You’ve complained about the poor behaviour of your DS and was it the same DS in this post who pushed the little girl? And OP punched the father?
If so this is a different story and OP should fear the other family reporting her assault to the police and poor behaviour of her DS

DS1 refers to her one year old DS. DS who got hurt is 6 years old.

GabriellaFaith · 12/10/2023 20:53

Maybe just meaning they didn't speak the same language

Pinkshoppingbag · 12/10/2023 20:53

I smell shite.

lettingtheforumdown · 12/10/2023 20:59

German for "troll" is "troll".

Just saying.

ChristmasKraken · 12/10/2023 21:08

God, this thread has turned into the Facebook comments section of our local paper 😂

Bubblegirly · 12/10/2023 21:15

OP I’m thinking of someone doing this to my 6yo son and I would like to think I would have done the same! It’s a primal instinct and I would like my son to know that his parents are there to protect them

Neilsparentsarecomingfortea · 12/10/2023 21:16

I'd like to think if have done the rational thing to set a good example, but in actually fact if someone had done that to my son of 6 yrs, I'd have probably broken his nose there and then.
Adult doing that to a child? What a fkn asshole

Notenoughtime23 · 12/10/2023 21:16

I think your teaching your child your don’t let bullies walk all over you. This man was vile and probably thought he could walk all over you. When I was on holiday this year a German man pushed me to try and get into a cab I was waiting for. Funny enough when I pushed him back and told him never to lay his hands on me again he backed off. Typical of bullies to walk away when they realise the person they are picking on won’t be walked all over. The people that wish to remain non-violent and classy can do so but if someone physically assaulted myself or my family I would defend them.

Laladance · 12/10/2023 21:30

🙄